The present invention is directed to a water purifier that enables a used filter to be replaced with ease.
Due to water pollution, the tap water supplied to every home or office could hardly be drunk as it is. There is a growing need for a water purifier that can purify polluted water (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9craw waterxe2x80x9d) into clean water suitable for drinking (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9cpurified waterxe2x80x9d).
A plurality of filters for filtering the raw water are incorporated in such a water purifier and connected in series with each other so that the raw water can consecutively pass through the filters. It is recommended that the filters be periodically replaced depending on the level of pollution of the water or the quantity of water to be filtrated. Used filters have a lower purification capacity and may increase the level of water pollution by way of providing a bacterial habitat. Therefore, the filters installed in the water purifier must be replaced as frequently as possible.
However, the conventional water purifiers pose a problem in that it is difficult and time-consuming to replace polluted filters with new ones. Specifically, the filters employed in the conventional water purifiers are connected with each other by means of separate connecting devices that are threadedly engaged with both inlets and outlets of the filters. Thus, in order to replace the filters of which exchange periods are different from each other, the opposite ends of the connecting devices should first be disconnected one by one from the inlets and outlets of the filters, the polluted filters should be then replaced with new ones, and finally, the opposite ends of the connectors should be threadedly engaged again with the inlets and outlets of the new filters. A further drawback resides in that the used filters have to be replaced under the condition that an inlet passage of the raw water is kept shut off.
For the reasons noted above, individual home user feels it cumbersome to change the filters himself or herself and therefore tends to request a purifier management company to carry out the filter replacement task on a periodic basis. It goes without saying that employing the purifier management company for maintenance purpose is highly costly.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a water purifier assuring faster and easier change of a used filter.
Another object of the invention is to provide a water purifier that makes it possible to replace a used filter without having to shut off a raw water inlet port.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a water purifier comprising a base plate; at least one filter which is replaceably attached to the base plate and includes a first end with a first fluid port formed therein and a second end with a second fluid port formed therein; a first connector means which supports the first end of the filter to be separable from the first connector means and includes a connector port connected to the first fluid port of the filter; a second connector means which is placed to be spaced apart from the first connector means at a distance sufficient to accommodate the filter therebetween and includes a bore aligned with the second fluid port of the filter; a spool which is fitted into the bore of the second connector means so that the spool can move between an extended position where the spool is connected to the second fluid port of the filter in order to allow fluid communication between the filter and the second connector means and a contracted position where the spool is separated from the second fluid port of the filter in order to interrupt the fluid communication therebetween, and which includes an axial fluid passage; and a spool actuating means for slidingly moving the spool between the extended position and the contracted position.